Today is the day that Daredevil fans have either been eagerly anticipating or dreading, depending on who you ask. After weeks of teasing, Charlie Cox’s Matt Murdock will descend upon She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and the naysayers will be glad they can finally stop sharpening their knives.
After spending three seasons mired in the dark, introspective, and contemplative Netflix series bearing his name, the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen has been placed under intense scrutiny ever since Cox’s surprise Spider-Man: No Way Home cameo was swiftly followed by the news he’d be returning in She-Hulk, Hawkeye spinoff Echo, and 18-episode solo series Born Again.
Most of the concern has risen from worries that the grounded and gritty street-level vigilante will be reduced to the latest smiling, quip-happy Marvel Cinematic Universe hero, and while that may or may not turn out to be the case, it’s been pointed out that Daredevil has decades of previous for indulging in some ridiculous escapades.
Having already confirmed that Born Again is not a continuation of the Netflix show but a full-blown reboot, it’s clear that the MCU has different plans in mind for the Man Without Fear. While there’s definitely optimism among some sections of the fandom, plenty of vocal detractors have already given up on getting hyped for Daredevil’s reintroduction.
Kevin Feige’s outfit was never going to pick up directly from where a rival streaming service left off, so fitting Cox’s Daredevil into an established continuity (as opposed to doing things the opposite way around) was always going to be the case. Either way, brace yourselves for the inevitable backlash.